Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was ready to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Ankara had already held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to him, Turkey will continue its efforts to find a path toward peace between Russia and Ukraine.
“After our meeting with Zelensky, we now want to address the Russian side of the issue as well by holding a meeting with Putin,” Erdogan told journalists aboard the government plane on his return from South Korea.
He said that Turkish representatives, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, would hold talks with their Russian counterparts. The aim is to prepare the Russian side for a possible meeting between the two presidents.
Ankara to maintain dialogue with Washington
Erdogan also commented on the results of the US midterm elections, after which the Democratic Party took control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Turkish president said it was too early to draw definitive conclusions about the vote’s impact on international politics.
“I hope the election results will benefit the American people. I also hope that these results will have positive consequences for our region and for world politics,” he said.
According to him, Turkey will maintain close dialogue with both the US administration and the two chambers of Congress. Erdogan described relations between Ankara and Washington as deeply rooted and based on a solid foundation.
“Turkey and the United States are NATO allies with longstanding strategic relations,” the Turkish president said. He added that Ankara would continue its contacts with American institutions in line with its goals of lasting peace and stability in the wider region.
The next step is talks with Moscow
Erdogan presented a possible meeting with Putin as the next step in Turkey’s diplomatic efforts regarding the war in Ukraine. Ankara seeks to preserve its role as a mediator and maintain channels of communication with both Kyiv and Moscow.
No specific date has been announced for a meeting between Erdogan and Putin. Turkish and Russian representatives are first expected to discuss preparations and the possible format of the talks.
Sources: bta.bg, today.lorientlejour.com, anews.com.tr